After a brief pause due to a lack of interesting titles, there's no need to worry. The goal is return to regular programming as soon as possible, and your free game for this weekend is Industria, developed by the folks at Bleakmill. One of the most interesting aspects of Industria is its setting, as it doesn't send us to space or the distant future, but to Berlin, one hour after the fall of the Wall...
The fall of the Berlin Wall began on November 9, 1989, at approximately seven in the evening (CET). Günter Schabowski, spokesman for the Socialist Unity Party of Germany, mentioned in a press conference (which had been going on for nearly an hour and was about to end) that East German citizens could cross the internal border without restrictions. The public did the rest.
Those were hours of chaos and excitement. The world had changed completely. And the people at Bleakmill decided to create a game in that special moment. Industria tells us the story of Nora, who receives a phone call from her (husband? lover?) and colleague Walter, at eight in the evening of that historic November 9. Both work in a laboratory... and everything seems to indicate that the situation went to hell. Something is trying to escape, and the Stasi wants to erase every trace. Walter says he has to leave, leaving Nora scared and full of doubts. Thus begins your free game of the weekend.
Industria: “Interdimensional Comrade”
All that I just mentioned happens in the first minutes of the game. Our objective is clear: Locate Walter and try to understand why he was so worried. I don't intend to share too many spoilers, but the story of Industria expands through small notes and abandoned documents. The science fiction component comes through the work of Nora and Walter... “transmission of living tissue”. In short, Nora is destined to leave Berlin very soon, and she doesn't know what she'll find on the other side.
Industria is a relatively short title, almost an episode. However, that's part of the design: a whole trilogy focused on Nora's search is expected, and the sequel was confirmed last month. With (almost) three years under its belt, Industria is not too demanding in terms of hardware, and it presents an excellent opportunity to enter that universe. Personally, I'll say it reminds me of Half-Life 2 in some passages, and the survival horror vibe is definitely there.
Industria will be available for free on the Epic Games Store until next Thursday, accompanied by another free title, Lisa: Definitive Edition. Don't miss them!
